Iraqi army makes tentative advance through Mosul, wary of civilian presence

Record ID: 878370

  • Title: Iraqi army makes tentative advance through Mosul, wary of civilian presence
  • Date: 6th June 2017
  • Summary: ZANJILI DISTRICT, MOSUL, IRAQ (JUNE 6, 2017) (REUTERS) DAMAGED BUILDINGS AND RUBBLE IN STREET / SMOKE RISING (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) RUBBLE IN STREET WITH DAMAGED BUILDINGS / SMOKE RISING / TWO SOLDIERS RUNNING IRAQI SOLDIERS OF 9TH ARMOURED DIVISION RUNNING DOWN STREET WITH DESTROYED BUILDINGS / AUDIO: EXPLOSIONS AND GUNFIRE IRAQI SOLDIER POINTING GUN DOWN STREET SMOKE RISING FROM BEHIND DAMAGED BUILDING IRAQI SOLDIERS IN STREET WITH DAMAGED BUILDINGS AND RUBBLE GROUP OF IRAQI SOLDIERS AND COLONEL FROM 9TH ARMOURED DIVISION, ARKAN JALAJ JARALLAH, STANDING ON RUBBLE OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED HOUSES AND HEAPS OF RUBBLE / AUDIO: GUNFIRE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COMMANDER OF 9TH ARMOURED DIVISION, COLONEL ARKAN JALAJ JARALLAH, SAYING: "We recaptured three quarters of Zanjili district, God willing, and we are able to fully recapture the district, but our advance has been slowed by the civilians escaping towards the Iraqi forces. We are an armoured division of tanks and armoured vehicles, but here we are more like infantry troops. We leave our tanks and armoured vehicles and advance on foot for the safety of the civilians, who are our family. God is our witness and as you can all see yourselves we're taking extra care and hopefully either tomorrow or the day after, we will be able to liberate Zanjili." IRAQI ARMY TANK IN STREET / OVERTURNED AND WRECKED CARS IN STREET MILITARY VEHICLES AND DAMAGED CARS IN STREET COVERED WITH RUBBLE 17 TAMMUZ DISTRICT, MOSUL, IRAQ (JUNE 6, 2017) (REUTERS) MAJOR IN 9TH ARMOURED DIVISION, MAJOR MUNTHER AHMED YOUSIF, WALKING INTO CELL IN FORMER ISLAMIC STATE PRISON CAPTURED BY IRAQI ARMY ENVELOPE READING (Arabic): "ISLAMIC STATE, SHEIKH ABDUL RAHMAN AL-BIBLAWI DIVISION, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE" IRAQI SOLDIER HOLDING EXPLOSIVES FOUND IN PRISON (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAJOR IN 9TH ARMOURED DIVISION, MAJOR MUNTHER AHMED YOUSIF, SAYING: "The prison comprises several cells and is divided into two sections. One of them was used to imprison former officers and the other for Yazidis." IRAQI ARMY OFFICER SHOWING MONITORING CAMERA IN A CELL LOCK ON CELL DOOR
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2017 16:07
  • Keywords: Daesh Islamic State-held enclave Mosul fighting Iraqi army advances
  • Location: ZANJILI DISTRICT AND 17 TAMMUZ DISTRICT, MOSUL, IRAQ
  • City: ZANJILI DISTRICT AND 17 TAMMUZ DISTRICT, MOSUL, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016K552DJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Iraqi forces have made tentative advances on the last Islamic State-held enclave in Mosul, a military source told Reuters on Tuesday (June 6), but have been forced to leave their heavy armour behind and advance on foot out of fears for civilian safety.
    With the recapture of Sihha district by Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service on Friday (June 2), the militants' remaining territory has shrunk to three districts alongside the western bank of the Tigris river, namely the densely populated Old City centre, Zanjili and the Medical City.
    In their advance, the Iraqi army seized a building that had been used by Islamic State as a prison for former army officers and Yazidi kidnapped by the militants.
    Islamic State had ordered dozens of families living in Zanjili district to move into the Old City to prevent them from escaping towards the Iraqi forces.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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